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Sunday, December 3, 2017

Over Thanksgiving Break, my family had dinner at Trattoria al Forno, a table service restaurant on Disney's BoardWalk. Trattoria al Forno, which serves Italian cuisine, has been one of our favorite restaurants at Disney World since it opened. It is a short walk from the back entrance of Epcot, which is located between the United Kingdom and France pavilions.

Trattoria al Forno uses gluten free breadcrumbs in all of their dishes, which means that fried calamari, meatballs, and chicken Parmesan are all safe options. Most allergy-friendly menus at Disney World will only include dishes that meet the standard of being safe for at least four allergies. If you see a dish you are interested in on the regular menu, and it is not on the allergy-friendly menu, have your server check for you or ask to speak to a chef.

Even before we moved to California, we started talking about what time of the year would be good to return to Orlando, and decided that we wanted to spend Thanksgiving Break at Disney World.

One of my favorite meals of the year is Thanksgiving dinner, so I was not super excited about missing out on some of our favorite dishes, but we decided that we would make our Thanksgiving feast for Christmas. We made advance dining reservations at Sanaa, a table service restaurant at Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas - Kidani Village, for Thanksgiving dinner. We chose Sanaa, because it is one of our favorite restaurants at Disney World, and I figured it was my best chance to eat a great Thanksgiving meal.

Sunday, November 26, 2017

When we moved to California last year, we talked about what time of the year we would return to Disney World, and decided that Thanksgiving Break would be perfect, because we would not miss any work or school, Orlando would not be too hot, and we would get to see all the Christmas decorations.

This year, we stayed at Disney's BoardWalk Villas, one of our Disney Vacation Club home resorts.

Sunday, November 12, 2017

This weekend, we had brunch at Stacks in Campbell, California with friends. The reviews on the Find Me Gluten Free app were all positive, so I was excited to try it.

Their gluten free menu is extensive, but right away, I narrowed in on their gluten free Belgian waffles. It is hard to find safe gluten free waffles outside of Disney World or Disneyland, so I was excited to try them.

When I ask my daughters what their favorite Thanksgiving dish is, they always say garlic mashed potatoes. That used to be the only thing they loved about our Thanksgiving meal, but now they look forward to eating cornbread stuffing and turkey with cranberry relish.

I was never a fan of cranberry relish until my family started buying Williams-Sonoma Apple-Orange Cranberry Relish. When I was diagnosed with celiac, I stopped eating it, because it has a warning that it is prepared and packaged using machines that may come in contact with wheat/gluten.

Sunday, October 22, 2017

This morning, I made apple scones for breakfast. I have been wanting to make them since trying apple scones at New Cascadia, a 100% gluten free bakery in Portland, Oregon. You can read my reviews from our recent trip to Portland here.

I started with my Perfect Gluten Free Scones recipe, added diced apples and cinnamon to the batter, then coated them with glaze when they were done baking.

Yesterday, we had lunch at Veg on the Edge in Santa Cruz, California. Veg on the Edge, a 100% gluten free, vegan and kosher restaurant, is located inside Abbott Square Market in the downtown area, and serves West African-inspired cuisine.

I first learned about Veg on the Edge when they opened a few months ago, but heard they shared space with a pizza restaurant, and that there could be flour in the air. Abbott Square Market does house several fast causal restaurants, but there is a wall completely separating Veg on the Edge from the neighboring pizza restaurant, and after watching pizzas being made at Pizzeria la Bufala for over half an hour, I did not see anything to be concerned about, but as always, you should decide where you feel comfortable dining.

Sunday, September 24, 2017

Last weekend, I did not have any school work to do, so we decided to head up to Wine Country. This was our second visit since moving to California. In April, we stayed at Inn on Randolph, a 100% gluten free bed & breakfast in Napa, which you can read about here.

I would have loved to have stayed at Inn on Randolph again, but they were fully booked, so we spent one night at the Napa Valley Marriott Hotel & Spa.

Sunday, September 10, 2017

We spent Labor Day weekend in Portland, Oregon, one of the best cities in the United States for gluten free dining. After our plane landed and we rented a car on Friday, we had dinner at Bang Bang Cocktails + Curry, a 100% gluten, dairy, and peanut free restaurant.

My husband and I both agree that the best thing we ate in Portland were the drunken wings with sweet soy, fried garlic, and fried shallots from Bang Bang. We started with two order of wings, but ended up ordering a third before we left. They were crispy, a little bit sweet, and overall, some of the best wings I have ever had. If we lived in Portland, I could see us dining at Bang Bang several times a month because of the drunken wings.

Monday, July 31, 2017

Before our British Isles cruise on the Disney Magic, we spent five nights in London at the London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square. My breakfast reviews are in a separate post which you can read here.

After we checked in to our hotel, we walked over to Selfridges Food Hall to have dinner. Beyond Bread, a 100% gluten free bakery with several locations in London, recently replaced the Coori stall in Selfridges.

Thursday, July 27, 2017

Before our British Isles cruise on the Disney Magic, we spent five nights in London at the London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square. We loved the location, but the room was small, and we had periodic issues with our air conditioner, which was no fun, because it was over 80 degrees the whole time we were in London.

The morning after we arrived, we woke up pretty late and walked over to Selfridges Food Hall to have breakfast. Beyond Bread, a 100% gluten free bakery with several locations in London, recently replaced the Coori stall in Selfridges.

Wednesday, July 26, 2017

During our British Isles cruise on the Disney Magic, we took a shore excursion to Edinburgh. After we visited Holyrood Palace, we had some free time to have lunch. I did a lot of research about dining gluten free in the cities we were visiting on our cruise, so I knew exactly where I wanted to have lunch in Edinburgh.

We did not have a hard time finding Tupiniquim Brasil Crepes, because we chose "Directions" in the Find Me Gluten Free app, which takes you into your Maps app. Thankfully, it was only short walk from where our tour bus had dropped us off in Edinburgh.

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

We recently returned home from a 12 night British Isles cruise on the Disney Magic. This was our eighth cruise with Disney Cruise Line and our second on the Disney Magic. I always have my travel agent note my gluten "allergy" on our reservation so that our serving team is alerted ahead of time. You can find all my previous Disney Cruise Line reviews on the Disney page of my blog here.

When our booking window opened, I made reservations for brunch and dinner at Palo, an adults-only restaurant serving northern Italian-inspired cuisine. The charge for both brunch and dinner is $30 per person, but it is well worth it. Brunch at Palo is only offered on sea days, so be sure to make a reservation as soon as your booking window opens, but we had no problem getting reservations for dinner, and could have dined at Palo multiple nights, but our daughters were not happy about us having dinner without them more than once.

Monday, July 24, 2017

We recently returned home from a 12 night British Isles cruise on the Disney Magic. This was our eighth cruise with Disney Cruise Line and our second on the Disney Magic. I always have my travel agent note my gluten "allergy" on our reservation so that our serving team is alerted ahead of time. You can find all my previous Disney Cruise Line reviews on the Disney page of my blog here.

I pre-ordered all of my breakfasts with our head server Aziz the night before at dinner. When we had shore excursions in the morning, we ate at Cabanas, and my breakfasts were delivered there at a set time, but on our three days at sea, we had more leisurely breakfasts at Animator's Palate, Carioca's, or Lumiere's.

Thursday, June 29, 2017

Last weekend, we stayed two nights at the Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel. We loved the location, and would stay there again, even though we had some issues with our room the first night. Somehow, we were assigned to a room with one king and no sofa bed for four people, and we discovered this when we arrived at 11:00 at night. We ended up receiving a discount on our stay, and spent the night in a beautiful club level room with incredible views the second night. My daughters have decided we need to get club level rooms from now on....yikes!

I spent some time researching gluten free options in Chicago on other blogs, and asked my blog readers for advice. One place that was consistently recommended was Do-Rite Donuts, which has several locations in Chicago. I pre-ordered my donuts online a couple of days ahead of time, and my husband walked to their Randolph Street location to pick them up when we woke up.

Wednesday, June 21, 2017

We have eaten at The Mara, a quick service restaurant at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, several times in the past year, because we have stayed at the resort twice. Even if you are staying at Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas - Kidani Village instead of Jambo House, it is a short walk to The Mara, which features African and American cuisine.

Two weeks ago, we had dinner at The Mara the night we arrived at Disney World. The chef I spoke to seemed willing to make me almost anything on the regular menu, but I chose to modify a dish on the allergy-friendly menu. Be sure to ask about the soups, because the carrot and the butternut squash soups were both gluten free our first night at Jambo House. I have eaten both soups at neighboring Boma, and they are delicious. I am also a fan of the African Potjie, which used to be called African Stew. You can read about it in my previous review of The Mara here.

The allergy kiosk has undergone many changes since it first opened at Disney's Animal Kingdom three years ago. The location has moved, and the name has changed several times, and now Terra Treats is no longer an allergy kiosk, though it does still offer gluten free snacks and drinks.

When we stopped by last week, the cast member I spoke to told me that everything offered at Terra Treats is still gluten free, including the buffalo chicken wings, hummus with vegetables, and the fresh fruit cup.

Last week, my daughters and I had lunch at Yak & Yeti Restaurant in Disney's Animal Kingdom. Yak & Yeti, which serves Pan-Asian cuisine, is a Landry's table service restaurant, just like Rainforest Cafe, T-Rex and Bubba Gump.

Because they are not Disney owned and operated, Yak & Yeti does not have an allergy-friendly menu, but very quickly, a chef came out to our table to speak to me. On our previous visit, which you can read about here, I was impressed by all the gluten free options the chef offered me, and I loved the chicken tikka masala I ordered. This dish is still on the menu, but I did not ask the chef I spoke to last week whether it was gluten free, because I wanted to try something new.

Tuesday, June 20, 2017

My daughters and I visited Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory at Disney's Port Orleans Resort - French Quarter three times on our recent trip to Disney World. Next summer, we plan on staying there, so we have easier access to one of our favorite quick service restaurants at Disney.

I love the Mardi Gras theming at Sassagoula, though it has been a bit toned down since its renovation last year. My favorite part is the colorful glass beads and bottles hanging from the ceiling. The space is open and bright, and I especially like the bamboo bowls they are using instead of paper plates.

Monday, June 19, 2017

On our recent trip to Disney World, my daughters and I had dinner twice at Sanaa, a table service restaurant at Kidani Village at Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas. Sanaa features African cooking with Indian flavors, and is one of our favorite restaurants at Disney.

The first time we dined at Sanaa, we met Sarah from Gluten-Free & Dairy Free at WDW. You can read her dinner review here. Sanaa's allergy-friendly menu has plenty of gluten free options to choose from, and I always suggest looking at their regular menu too, because most of their dishes are gluten free, or can be modified to be gluten free.

Friday, June 16, 2017

Last week, my daughters and I had dinner at Trattoria al Forno on Disney's BoardWalk, which is a short walk from the back entrance of Epcot.

Trattoria al Forno has been one of our favorite Disney restaurants for breakfast and dinner since it opened, I am excited to try their new Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast when we return in November. You can read a guest review on my blog here.

Wednesday, June 14, 2017

Earlier this year, the Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast with characters from Tangled and The Little Mermaid was introduced at Trattoria al Forno, a table service restaurant on Disney's BoardWalk.

The Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast includes a plate of pastries for everyone to share, a choice of one starter, and a choice of one entree. Typically, Disney will substitute Udi's muffins or Kinnikinnick donuts for gluten-filled pastries, but Trattoria al Forno has fresh baked muffins and scones that look incredible.

Update - Maple popcorn is no longer available at the Magic Kingdom, but you can find it in Epcot at the Canada Pavilion. You can read my review here.

I keep a list of foods and restaurants that I want to try or dine at again at Disney World, and the maple popcorn in Frontierland in the Magic Kingdom was near the top of my list for our most recent trip.

You can find the cart that sells the maple popcorn near the walkway that leads to Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain. If you are interested, it is available in a refillable souvenir bucket.

Friday, June 9, 2017

Yesterday, my daughters and I had lunch at Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen, the Jungle Cruise themed restaurant in Adventureland at the Magic Kingdom.

Skipper Canteen, which is staffed by the crew of the fun loving Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd., features Asian, South American, and African cuisine. The chefs at Skipper Canteen have put together an impressive allergy-friendly menu. It lists options for people with gluten/wheat, milk, egg, soy, fish/shellfish, and peanut/tree nut allergies. If gluten/wheat is listed under a dish on the menu, it is safe to eat. On a previous visit, a chef told me that they only use gluten free tamari soy sauce in the restaurant, which shows Disney's commitment to serving people with special diets.

Tuesday, June 6, 2017

We arrived in Orlando last night, and our first stop today was Pandora - The World of Avatar at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

We managed to get to the park when it opened at 8:00, and headed straight to Satu'li Canteen, Pandora's fast casual restaurant, for breakfast. The theming is that long ago it was an RDA mess hall, but now Na'vi art and cultural items adorn this dining facility. There were only a few other diners in Satu'li Canteen when it opened, because everyone else was rushing to wait in line for Avatar Flight of Passage or Na'vi River Journey. We did ride Na'vi River Journey after breakfast, and only had to wait about an hour, but Avatar Flight of Passage had over a three hour wait when we checked, so that will have to wait for another day.

We made a double recipe, whisking together 2 cups of Zuvii mix, 2 1/2 cups of lowfat milk, 2 large eggs, and 1/4 cup of grapeseed oil. We had a lot of pancakes left over, but froze them for future meals.

Thursday, June 1, 2017

Since moving to California last July, we have been to San Francisco four times. It is an hour and a half from where we live, so it makes for a fun day trip.

We always eat breakfast at Mariposa's San Francisco Ferry Building Bakeshop, which you can read about here. Last weekend, my husband and I split a Pain au Chocolat and an apple turnover, my new favorite pastry at Mariposa. When we lived in Orlando, I used to order the Pain au Chocolat online. Mariposa does ship a selection of their baked goods, but they are best fresh from one of their bakeshops.

Monday, May 29, 2017

Three years ago, I discovered Sweet Note gluten free New York style bagels, the best bagels I have had since my celiac diagnosis. Sweet Note is now known as The Greater Knead, and recently started making gluten free bagel chips, so I decided it was time to write a new review of their amazing products.

The Greater Knead makes three types of bagel chips - plain, everything, and cinnamon raisin. The first time I ordered them online, I chose the 3 variety chip cups, so I could try them all. All products from The Greater Knead are made in a dedicated facility, and are free of the top 12 common allergens - wheat (gluten), dairy, tree nuts, peanuts, soy, egg, fish, shellfish, corn, sesame, mustard and oats. They are also non-GMO.

Sunday, April 30, 2017

I was surprised when my friend Debbie, a fellow celiac and Disney lover, messaged me earlier this week that she had a new favorite restaurant in Orlando, The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium.

The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium opened on Universal CityWalk after we moved to California, so I have not had a chance to try it yet. In my private Facebook group, Gluten Free in Orlando, I have read some mixed reviews, but Debbie had a great experience.

Sunday, March 26, 2017

A couple of weeks ago, we drove up to San Francisco to meet friends of ours for lunch. We arrived a couple of hours early so we could have breakfast at Mariposa's Ferry Building Bakeshop.

After breakfast, I purchased two packages of gluten free orecchiette at Farm Fresh To You in the Ferry Building. I was pretty excited, because I loved orecchiette before my celiac diagnosis, and I had never found a gluten free version before. Bi Alimenta Pasta Rustica contains corn flour, rice flour, water, starch, salt, lactic acid, and sorbic acid.

Sunday, March 12, 2017

I first learned about Wholesome Organic DelishFish from Taylor at GlutenAway,on his Facebook page.

Right away, I ordered 12 snack packs from Amazon.com. The day they arrived, I opened a pack to sample one fish, but ended up eating the whole bag. The second time I opened a bag, the same thing happened, so don't say I did not warn you. They are strangely addictive, which surprised me, because I am not that big of a candy fan, especially when chocolate is not involved. I love the raspberry flavor, and the texture is great.

Saturday, January 28, 2017

Earlier today, we had lunch at Maggiano's Little Italy at Santana Row in San Jose. Since moving to California six months ago, we have dined at this location four times. Maggiano's was a favorite of ours when we lived in Orlando too, and you can read my reviews of their International Drive restaurant here.

My daughters and I first dined at the Maggiano's in San Jose a couple of days after we arrived in California, because my husband had a business meeting there. I love that most servers at Maggiano's ask if anyone has food allergies, and they send a chef to the table to talk to you.

Tuesday, January 24, 2017

On Saturday, we had lunch at Laili Restaurantin downtown Santa Cruz. Laili's cuisine features Mediterranean flavors with an Afghan twist. This restaurant was recommended to me by the owner of Melinda's Gluten Free, our favorite local gluten free bakery.

Laili Restaurant does not have a gluten free menu, but our server was pretty knowledgeable about gluten free options, and when she wasn't sure about something, she checked with the kitchen.

Friday, January 13, 2017

The last day of our Christmas Break, we had lunch at Din Tai Fung in Westfield Valley Fair mall in San Jose, California.

At this location, if you want to sit at a table, you have to make a reservation. Bar seating is available for walk-ups, but our server told us that you could wait several hours to be seated, so I definitely recommend making a reservation if you want to dine at Din Tai Fung.

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Over Christmas Break, we took a trip to Disneyland and Las Vegas. This was our very first trip to Vegas, and we decided to stay at The Mirage, which is centrally located on the Las Vegas Strip. Our room was beautiful, and I thought it was reasonably priced. My only complaint was the smell of the casino. I cannot stand cigarette smoke or strong scents, so I had a hard time walking through the casinos to get to restaurants and shows, but other than that, we had a great time on our Vegas trip, and would definitely go back.

One of the best parts about Las Vegas is the food. We were excited to dine at the restaurants of several celebrity chefs that we watch on the Food Network.

Earlier this month, we dined at Tutto Wine Cellar in the Italy Pavilion at Epcot. Tutto Gusto has long been one of my gluten-eating fam...

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Disclaimer

A NOTE ABOUT ALEXIS'S GLUTEN FREE ADVENTURES:

My goal is to provide you with accurate information, but please be aware that product ingredients, restaurant menus, and website links may change without notice. Always be sure to carefully read the ingredients label of any product you buy before consuming it, and talk to your restaurant server/manager/chef before ordering.

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Copyright 2018 Alexis Salerno and Alexis's Gluten Free Adventures

Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog's author is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that clear credit is given to Alexis Salerno and Alexis's Gluten Free Adventures with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.